According to a recent article on KSL.com many Utah cities and counties are considering or allowing residents have backyard chickens. Most likely you’ll need to verify with your city hall. Many places allow hens, but not roosters so make sure you check up on that.
If you have the space for chickens they provide a nice source of fresh eggs and meat (if you have a rooster). How many of you have chickens or are considering it? I really want to get some, but can’t in my current place. For those that have them what has been your experience?
I purchased four Rhode Island Red hens in February of this year, and the hens just started to lay eggs in June. Our family is having a lot of fun raising chickens. My girls 4 and 7 both help gathering the eggs and have sold a few dozen for money, which is a nice way for them to earn money. We are taking advantage of the situation and teaching them how to manage the money they earn. I have two other friends that have chickens both of them keep them full time in their coop, each has a run that is about 6×5 and they do just fine in the small space. Personally I was going to build a run, but have just let them wander our backyard which the kids love. I'm having fun with it and would recommend it to anyone who can. I am toying with purchasing a small flock in August to raise for meat, but my wife isn't so thrilled about that idea. :)
I am not considering getting chickens but the 6 packs of 12 ounce cans of chicken at Sam's or Costco might be a good substitute, at least for the meat.
I am moving into my new place next week and plan on getting chickens and rabbits.
I have 6 chickens and the best part about it is the food is so cheap, I can stockpile a year of food for hardly anything. The more expensive “chicken scratch” (vs pellets) also could be eaten by humans I think, it's just corn and wheat and barley and other grains. If I had to eat it, I would. But as long as I have chickens, I can feed it to them and they can feed me delicious eggs.
The chickens eat grass too, and I think they taste better than rabbits.
I'm hoping that when the rest of my family moves out here, we will be able to rent a house with a yard big enough for chickens. My family is interested in the idea, not necessarily excited, but interested in the possibilities.
too mutch chicken scratch is bad for chickens, I have 7 and you shouldnt give them more than a handfull a day. If you want to keep getting great eggs and have healthy chickens you should still give them the pellets.
too mutch chicken scratch is bad for chickens, I have 7 and you shouldnt give them more than a handfull a day. If you want to keep getting great eggs and have healthy chickens you should still give them the pellets.
Hi,
We just butchered 28 chickens today. It’s our second batch this year and we saved a few back because we have some friends that want to know how we “do it”.
We do process them different in that we don’t pluck the feathers but skin them somewhat like you skin a rabbit. It is faster and we prefer it that way anyway. We have been living the good life for quite some time.
Steve
Get Dual purpose chickens.Both egg and meat use’s rhose islands are my choice but americaunas are good too.
I had some chickens (and will again soon), and so does a neighbor, here in central Pa. The main problem for us is when a predator decides to eat your chickens. A weasel managed to get all of the neighbor’s over the course of a month last spring (and he locked them in a steel trailer over night) and a hawk took mine, one at a time, making his home in some woods nearby.
I have 26 dual-purpose chicks, I want to trim my flock down to 10 layers when they are mature enough for butchering. Only I do not know how old they have to be to be of a good size for that. Any experienced advice?